Can we restore coastal species diversity by shrub removal in Nizzanim LTER?

Unlike most coastal restoration projects that seek to fixate dunes, restoration of Nizzanim coastal dunes involved vegetation removal to recreate more mobile-like dune states. This is the largest experimental habitat-manipulation ever conducted in Israel. Since 2004, the LTER researchers have been working directly with the Israel Nature & Parks Authority to monitor trends in natural and restored dunes, and to create knowledge-based conservation management plans. Species diversity has been monitored on several dunes states including mobile, fixed & semi-fixed dunes (un-manipulated & treated) for more than 10 years across four taxonomic groups; plants, arthropods, reptiles & rodents. Such long-term data concurrently monitored across so many taxa is rare in restoration science, and to our knowledge, unique in coastal dune research. Here we present the spatio-temporal changes in species composition & turnover among different taxonomic groups with a focus on arthropods. We use ordination analyses to test for restoration success, using R software. A small but desired shift towards the target state is seen across treatment types, with recolonisation of treated dunes by individual indicator species . Community level restoration success may be achieved over a longer period.